Global
political activism, official apologies, charity, advocacy and
solidarity campaigns, 'rescue' missions, truth and reconciliation
hearings, private philanthropy, 'humanitarian' interventions…. The
politics, cultures and economies of doing good seem to have gained a redemptive, sanctioned
and empowering status, which has elevated actions and actors above
critical scrutiny. This conference is aimed at interrogating the
politics and practice(s)
of 'doing good'. It asks: What is defined as 'doing good' and how is it
tied to constructions of benevolent others? Who is positioned and
empowered to 'do good'? How is 'doing good' historically embedded and
what are some of its foreseen and unforeseen consequences? What does an
anti-racist and anti-colonial lens reveal about past and present
humanitarian actions and interventions, and how might it inform present
and future practice(s)? What are the relations between humanitarianism
and imperialism? How can these relations be exposed and meaningfully
addressed?